Shortage of Fertilizer disheartens Farmers across the island

COLOMBO (News 1st): While Sri Lanka tackles with COVID-19 on the one hand, and the food security with a shortage of rice stocks on the other; another major crisis has arisen due to the fertilizer shortage in the country. News 1st has been at the forefront of reporting the pleas of the farmers in the country who are severely inconvenienced as a result of this. Following is a plea from a Farmer in Ulpathagama, Hasalaka who is disheartened due to the lack of fertilizer to carry on with cultivation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBhUCjORZm4 The farmer is requesting the government to at least issue fertilizer that they could purchase for a fair price, instead of deceiving the farmer claiming to provide fertilizer free of charge. In comparison to the stocks of fertilizer and other related chemicals imported to the country in December last year, the amount imported during the first 3 months of 2020, is lower, showed Customs data. According to Customs data, the amount of fertilizer imported to the country in December 2019 was 2233.4 tonnes. In January 2020, 1133.82 tonnes of fertilizer has been imported to the country. This means there is a decline of 1,099.58 tonnes, of fertilizer imported in January 2020 compared to the amount imported in December last year. 432.79 tonnes of fertilizer has been imported in February this year. Based on Customs data, although 1,110.77 tonnes of fertilizer has been imported to the country in March, it is a decline of 1,122.63 tonnes in comparison to the same month previous year. "There are around 39,837 tonnes of fertilizer for use in state-owned storage facilities," the National Fertilizer Secretariat said. According to the Fertilizer Secretariat, apart from state-owned organizations, 9 other private companies maintain fertilizer reserves in the country. "Private entities have more than 46,000 tonnes of fertilizer for other crops," told Mahesh Gammanpila - Director at the National Fertilizer Secretariat to News 1st, when inquired on the matter. According to the Director at the National Fertilizer Secretariat, 35,000 tonnes of fertilizer for paddy will be imported to the country during the next few days.